The Reverend Jesse Jackson and Jean-Marie Le Pen were embroiled in an unlikely Twitter clash on Wednesday after the French far-Right veteran claimed he had received a written note from the American civil rights activist after a dinner in Paris.

The 87-year-old co-founder of the far-Right Front National party posted a photo of himself next to the American baptist minister and former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination with a note signed by Mr Jackson saying: "Keep Hope Alive. Continue."

The words were an apparent reference to Mr Jackson's famous 1988 speech to the Democratic national convention.

According to Le Parisien, the curious encounter between Rev Jackson and Mr Le Pen, convicted several times for racism, anti-Semitism and revisionism, took place at a Moroccan restaurant.

"A mutual friend organised the dinner," a close friend of Mr Le Pen told Le Parisien. "Jany, Jean-Marie's wife, was there. And Jesse Jackson knew full well who was opposite him."

Le Parisien speculated whether the note was one of encouragement for Mr Le Pen in his family feud with Marine, his eldest daughter and successor as FN leader. She ousted her father from the party over his xenophobic outbursts as she tries to "detoxify" its brand image.

Rev Jackson instantly sought to distance himself from Mr Le Pen, replying shortly after midnight: "Did not know you were coming to dinner. Never met you before. Do not share your beliefs."

.@lepenjm Did not know you were coming to dinner. Never met you before. Do not share your beliefs.

Mr Jackson was in the French capital on Tuesday to mark France's national day in memory of the slave trade and its abolition, alongside President François Hollande and ex-justice minister Christine Taubira.

French media said it was hard to imagine Mr Jackson had knowingly engaged in conversation with a far-Righter who has previously slammed Nelson Mandela as a "terrorist" and refused to condemn apartheid, as well as complaining there were too many black players in France's national football team.

Mr Le Pen issued a second Tweet later on Wednesday showing the pair sitting round a table.